Want to be a part of rockfish management in Washington state? Help Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) rockfish researchers evaluate anglers’ understanding of rockfish biology and ecology! Your participation will help to inform future outreach efforts and the management of rockfish in Puget Sound.
Populations of many Puget Sound rockfish species have declined dramatically over the last several decades, resulting in broad-scale changes to bottomfish fishing regulations. For three species, these declines resulted in listing under the federal Endangered Species Act in 2010. Since that time, state, regional, and federal managers have worked to expand public awareness about rockfish biology and ecology, fishing regulation changes, and actions that people can take to help rockfish recovery. These managers are now asking for your help to evaluate whether these outreach efforts are reaching the target audience and achieving their goal of increasing overall awareness of rockfish biology and management.
This online survey is expected to take about 20-30 minutes to complete. Questions will cover rockfish biology, Puget Sound fishing regulations, and rockfish identification. You will also be asked to share details such as your level of fishing experience and involvement in any marine-related interest groups, as well as a series of optional demographic questions. The survey is completely anonymous – project staff will not have the ability to link your name with responses to any question. Please note that you must be 18 years or older to complete the survey.
Feel free to share this survey with other licensed anglers you know who interact with rockfishes in Puget Sound – we want to hear from as much of the angling public as possible! Direct survey link: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/6838589/Rockfish-Survey
Thank you in advance for your participation in this survey!
